Blocks



C. J. MANNELL AND R. ROSE.

MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CONCRETE AND THE LIKE WALLBLOCKS. APPLICATION FILED FEB 18. 1919.

1 ,3 1 0,3 59. Patented July 15, 1919.

run COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH ccn, WASHINGTON. D. c.

UNITED sTATEs PAENT oEEroE.

CHARLES JAMES NELL AND ROBERT ROSE, OF BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND.

MACHINERY EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CONCRETE AND THE LIKE WALL-BLOCKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 15, 1919.

Application fi1ed.February 18, 1919. Serial No. 277,796.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLEs JAMES MANNELL and ROBERT RosE, subjects ofthe King of Great Britain, residing at Bournemouth, England, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinery Employed inthe Manufacture of Concrete and the like Wall-Blocks, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to hydraulic press machinery for the manufactureof wall blocks or the like made of concrete or other plastic material,and of the kind comprising a molding box, a rising and falling falsebottom connected to a hydraulic plunger for pressing and ejecting thepressed block, and a covering lid held in the closed position by apivoted arm engaging a catch on the lid, the said arm being designed tobe automatically swung or turned for releasing the lid, when thepressing operationis completed.

Our invention has for its object to provide a machine whereby speed inmanufacture may be increased by means of detailed improvements incertain parts of the machine as hereinafter set forth. 1 i

In practice, we make use of a hydraulic press for the molding of theblock, which press comprises a molding chamber fitted with a slidingplunger (constituting a false bottom therein) upon which the concrete orother plastic material to be treated is received. When filled, thischamber is closed by a spring-controlled cover which is automaticallyreleased, after the requisite pressure has been applied, to permit ofthe block or molding being removed.

The sliding bottom aforesaid, within the molding chamber, is attached toa hydraulic ram which, when the water pressure is applied, forces thesliding bottom upward and compresses the material within the chamberbetween said sliding bottom and the cover of the mold to the extentdesired, at which point a striking plate, moving upward and with the ramin its upward movement, makes contact with the lower end-of a leverpivoted to the outside of the molding chamber and causes the release ofa catch formed on the upper end of said pivoted lever from engagementwith the spring controlled cover which flies open automatically, and thefurther upward movement of the ram projects the compressed concrete orlike block beyond the open mouth of the molding chamber, whence it isremoved for the further stage of setting and dyeing.

And in order that our invention may be fully understood we will nowproceed to describe same with reference to the accommolded is placed, Z)is a false bottom therein,

of a slidable fit, so as to be capable of a reciprocating verticalmovement within the chamber a fromtheram c, to which it is connected,and which is operated by hydraulic pressure in known manner.

at is a cover to the chamber a hinged at e to the top edge of one end ofsaid chamber. Thls cover d is formed with a projection beyond the hingeto which one end of a tension spring f is connected, the other end ofwhich spring is fixed to a bracket 9 (or in other convenient manner) onthe end of chamber a. The spring f tends to keep the cover d open. Atthe front edge of the cover d is fitted a dentated catch 71. which whensaid cover is closed is engaged by the projection 71 on the upper end ofthe lever or arm 7' vertically arranged and pivotally mounted at kto thefront ofthe chamber a. m At its lower end the lever or arm j is bent atright angles as at Z and extends beneath the chamber a to a suitabledistance. At its extremity it carries a roller or wheel on which isengaged by the striking plate n attached to the sliding plunger 71 (thebottom of the chamber a being suitably slotted for the passagetherethrough of said striking plate attachment) when the plunger 6 israised the requisite distance. This moves the lover or arm j on itspivot and releases the catch z, whereupon the action of the spring fraises the cover 03 on its hinge and the chamber a is open.

The chamber a regulates the shape and size of the block molded thereinand is formed of two side plates between which the end plates at a arebolted. One of these latter is grooved and the other formed with acorresponding bead or projection (see Fig. 3,) on the inner surfacewhich together form a key or looking arrangement on the molded blocksfor securing them in position when used in building.

In operation, a palette board 0 is placed upon the plunger 6 and theconcrete or other plastic material is fed into the chamber at until thelatter is full. The material is then struck off level with the top edgesof the chamber a and an upper palette board is then pressed into themouth of the chamber until its upper surface is level with the top edgeof the chamber, thus compressing the concrete or other material by thethickness of the board. I

The chamber a is then closed by the cover d and locked by the engagementof the catch 2' with the catch h. Hydraulic pressure is introduced fromthe bottom and the sliding plunger Z) rises in the chamber a and when atthe desired height, and the material has been compressed to the extentrequired, the catch 2' is automatically released from engagement withthe catch it on the cover by the action of the striking plate it againstthe roller or wheel m carried at the lower end of the pivoted arm 7'.

This action causes said arm j to turn on its pivot 70 and withdraw thecatch 6 from engagement with the catch h on the cover. The spring 7"then operates to raise the cover 03 and the finished block ascends,

means of a three way cock 3) and the sliding bottom drops into positionfor refilling the mold.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our saidinvention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declarethat what we claim is 1. In a mold, a movable bottom, a normally openhinged lid, a releasable latch for holding the lid closed, means forforcing the bottom upwardly, and means operable by a predeterminedupward movement of the bottom to release the latch.

52. In a mold, a movable bottom, a normally open hinged lid, areleasable latch for holding the lid closed, a hydraulic ram for forcingsaid bottom upwardly, and means controlled by the movement of the ramand operable during upward movement of the bottom to release the latch.

3. In a mold, a movable bottom, a normally open hinged lid, a releasablelatch for holding the lid closed having an angular extremity, means forforcing said bottom upwardly, and a striking plate carried by i thebottom and engageable with the angular extremity of the latch to releasethe latter upon a predetermined upward movement of said bottom.

4. In a mold, a movable false bottom, a normally open hinged lid, areleasable latch for holding the lid closed having an angular extremity,a hydraulic ram for forcing the false bottom upwardly, and a strikingplate carried by the false bottom and operable by a predetermined upwardmovement of the latter to engage the latch and release the same.

In witness whereof we have signed the specification in presence of twowitnesses.

' CHARLES JAMES MANNELL.

ROBERT ROSE. WVitnesses:

GEORGE HENRY HAYTI-IORN, OLIVE MAYE Soo'r'r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

